Dizzying Heights
by marshtomp madness
Summary: Sequel to This Does Not Have A Fairytale Ending, although mostly unrelated.  Merthur.  Gwaine gets kidnapped by giants. Arthur and Merlin pull off a daring rescue thanks to Merlin's magic and Arthur's courage or as Merlin would probably put it, stupidity.


AN: This is a sequel to This Does Not Have a Fairytale Ending. In short, this does.

er... I guess this one's based on Jack and the Beanstalk? I don't know. I felt like I should continue the fairy tale motif. XD

How does a reasonably large dwelling/castle for a dozen fifty-foot giants stay up in the sky, supported only by a beanstalk? Well I don't know, you ask _them_ if you darn well want to know. I am just putting this in the category of Things That Are Not My Problem. Also guys, I don't condone stealing from giants.

* * *

><p>When Merlin finally used magic in front of Arthur, it was an accident.<p>

Years and years of hiding it, from everyone, and Merlin used it to save Prince Arthur from falling off his horse. Falling off his _horse_. A mere four and a half feet.

Merlin really should have just let him fall. But the use of magic was instinctual, as it had been when he saved Gaius or would prevent objects from falling. And they were walking along a cliff, and if Merlin had let him fall then he probably would have had to save him from the hundred-foot drop two feet away from them. And then where would they be?

Not on their way to save Gwaine from the giants who'd captured him and were holding him ransom for 1000 gold pieces, that was for sure. (Only they were on their way to kidnap Gwaine back. Uther didn't hold with the idea of ransom payments. Thought they were debasing, or something.)

"What," said Arthur dangerously, "the hell was that?"

"Er," said Merlin, "a freak wind."

"It most certainly was not," said Arthur. His face was turning bright pink. Merlin knew if they got to purple, he'd be in big trouble.

"'Course it was," said Merlin.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" asked Arthur, rather loudly. It echoed in the ravine.

"Well," said Merlin, "it has been five years since I started working for you. That's five whole years you thought I was too stupid to use magic."

It was digging his own grave deeper, he realized, and on some level it was probably going to come back to bite him later on. But he sure as hell wasn't getting out of this with his life. Might as well get in a few good jabs while he could.

Arthur went from pink to pale in three seconds flat.

"A sorceror has been in the castle," he whispered to himself, "for five years."

"And saved your sorry bum at least twice a day for that whole time," said Merlin, getting a little loud himself. All right, perhaps it was time to back down.

"You have not!" said Arthur, voice getting higher.

So perhaps it wasn't then.

"I have too!" said Merlin.

"Have not!"

"Have too!"

"It's impossible!"

"This is ridiculous," said Merlin.

"I'll say," said Arthur, and rode off up ahead. Merlin made the horse go into a gallop to catch up with him, but Merlin's horse was rather slower and older, and it wasn't long before she was tired out. Merlin gave her a pat on the head.

"Sorry, old girl," he said affectionately, as Arthur rode off into the distance. "I'm sure you understand, though."

She whinnied.

"Yes," said Merlin, "he is a prat, isn't he? We'll catch up with him later. He's going to need us. Well, me more than you, but, you know what I meant."

* * *

><p>Merlin caught up with Arthur that night, and sat next to him around the fire that he'd built.<p>

"Are you prepared to renounce the use of sorcery for the good of your country?" asked Arthur.

"Are you prepared to stop being a prat?" asked Merlin.

"I don't know why I don't just kill you myself," said Arthur.

"Because deep down," said Merlin, "you know that I'm right. That magic can be used for good. That I can help you. That your father is wrong. And when you're king, you'll _change_ things. Besides, you like having me around."

It was more than that, Merlin knew, but Arthur didn't and Merlin fully intended to keep things that way. Arthur's love life had enough problems after what was widely referred to as What Happened At The Wedding.

"And also," said Arthur, reaching for his sword and standing up, "it's because I'm a little distracted by bandits at the moment."

Merlin looked around, and saw the bandits creeping up on their camp. With a wave of his hand and a little bit of Anglo-Saxon muttered under his breath, they were running off into the night, screaming. Maybe it was a little cruel, Merlin reflected. But he just didn't have time for the usual Arthur-fights-incredibly-inexperienced-bandits routine.

Arthur stared at him. The campfire light flickered in his eyes, and cast long shadows on his face. Merlin could see every thought Arthur had, down to the fear and the betrayal and the lo-

Well, best not to think about _that_ at the moment.

"What did you do?" Arthur asked, very softly.

"Nightmares," said Merlin. "Waking ones. They'll be incapacitated until morning."

Arthur was silent.

"You would've just killed them," said Merlin.

"I'm still not sure that isn't kinder," said Arthur.

Merlin shrugged. "They'll be alive in the morning. Probably. They won't be too keen on robbing others."

Arthur sighed, and Merlin could feel it against his cheek. It was then that it struck Merlin that Arthur had sat rather close to him. Close enough, some cheeky part of Merlin supplied, to kiss.

"Go to bed, Merlin," Arthur said.

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asked.

Arthur shook his head.

"No. You know I couldn't- I can't tell my father. You'd be killed."

"I sort of expected," said Merlin, "that you'd shove me off into the wilderness and have done with it."

Arthur looked pale.

"No. I- I need you." He looked Merlin straight in the eye, desperate and sad. Merlin understood that Arthur didn't mean in battle, or as a servant.

And that was about as much as Merlin ever expected.

* * *

><p>What Happened At The Wedding was this: Lancelot refused to forever hold his peace. In the end, Guinevere chose <em>him<em>. And Arthur let them go.

Of course, everyone at the castle is forbidden contact with them now (although Lancelot and Merlin exchange letters on quite the regular basis), and it was quite a blow to the Knights, but mostly nobody thinks about it. Gwen just looked so happy, when Arthur told her she could go. And everyone who mattered knew then that it was never meant to be.

Merlin saw it in Arthur's eyes sometimes, when a pretty girl would walk by with a sweet face like Gwen's. Arthur missed her desperately. Merlin never had the heart to tell him that it wasn't her that Arthur belonged with. And to tell the truth, he had never been sure himself. Why shouldn't Arthur marry a girl he loves? The kingdom will need a queen. True love never worked out, and it didn't get much more star-crossed than their situation.

Merlin thought about this all as they rode onwards, partly because he suspected Lancelot's last letter came from this area and partly because Arthur had that lost look on his face the way that he had for months after the infamous wedding._ It's all right,_ Merlin wanted to say._ I'm still here. You're still here. When we're together, we can do anything._

It was probably true anyway.

* * *

><p>They reached the castle by nightfall.<p>

It was really becoming quite routine to cross rickety bridges over dauntingly deep crevasses, Merlin thought with some dismay. At least this was a lovely one, with the morning fog still obscuring how deep it really was. Moss lined the cliff edges on either side of them, tree roots sticking out the sides. The bridge was old, and rotting, and they had to go rather slowly and test each plank before they stepped on it.

"Chin up!" said Arthur.

"Aren't you cheerful," Merlin grumbled.

"No, I mean it literally," said Arthur. "I know you. You're staring off into the side, visualizing yourself falling off the edge. Well, don't. It puts the horses in a bad mood."

Merlin scowled, and pulled his horse to a quick stop when he realized Arthur had done the same.

"Look," said Arthur softly.

Merlin did. Ahead of them, far enough in the distance that they couldn't see it very well... Up, high, with the clouds swirling around it. He squinted.

"A giant beanstalk," said Merlin. "And on top of it..."

"A _giant_ house," said Arthur grimly. "Well, let us go forth."

Merlin rolled his eyes. There was a snapping noise, and the rotting wooden planks beneath Arthur's horse snapped, startling the horses. Arthur calmed his down, but Merlin had to whisper a spell.

And they went.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the bottom of the beanstalk around midday, and stared up, shielding their eyes from the noon sun.<p>

It was a plant. It should not have seemed so impossibly tall.

"You're going to climb that," said Merlin in disbelief.

Arthur paused, appearing to wrestle with himself over some inner quandary.

"No," said Arthur, "_we're_ going to climb that, using your sorcery. Might as well put it to good use."

Merlin stared at him in disbelief. He didn't dare to be happy just yet.

"Look," said Arthur, "I've thought about it. I know my father won't see it this way, so I think it's best not to mention your... powers, at home. But you're... well, _you_."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" said Merlin, and he tried to be indignant but a grin so wide it was actually beginning to hurt had spread across his face. Arthur didn't look, well, happy. But he_trusted_ Merlin. Despite - or, Merlin thought, perhaps _because of_ - everything, Arthur _trusted_ him.

"Just that you're too bloody stupid to be evil," said Arthur. "Now, go on! Magic us up there or whatever it is you do."

He gestured vaguely towards the sky with an expectant look on his face.

"Er, I can't," said Merlin, scratching the back of his head. "I don't know any spells that do that. I can... make us really lightweight, and I can cast the spell I used earlier to catch either of us if we fall, but we'll have to do the climbing bit ourselves."

Arthur sighed.

"Of _course_."

They got off their horses, and stared at the beanstalk, trying to figure out a good way to get up. Arthur started to climb.

"So I guess it's a good thing we didn't bring gold," said Merlin, feeling a little ill at the prospect.

"Exactly!" said Arthur. "Go on, start climbing. You'll be terribly slow at it, I expect."

* * *

><p>Climbing was difficult work, though much less so than it might have been without Merlin's spells. Arthur had a great deal of physical training on his side. Merlin had a great deal of magical talent and the amount that it took to strengthen whatever limb was easiest to grab onto was marginal. But still, Arthur had to stop for Merlin to catch up rather frequently.<p>

"How are you doing?" asked Arthur.

"Excellent, if I don't look down," said Merlin, feeling dizzier and dizzier.

"Then _don't bloody look down_."

They climbed their way onto the platform leading to the house, and stared at the giant door handle for a moment.

"It's bigger than my head," said Arthur, with awe and a little bit of fear.

"No, I wouldn't say so," said Merlin. "Bigger than _my_ head, certainly. But yours? It's a tough call."

Arthur shot him a glare. Merlin sighed. "All right." He raised his hand.

_CLICK_. _CREEEEEAK_. The locks undid themselves. The door swung open. They probably had the attention of every-

"giant in England, Merlin, can't you even get _sorcery_ right?"

There was a loud thud in the distance. Then another one. Then Merlin realized that "the distance" was in fact, to a giant, just "across the room." Merlin barely had time to take in the lavish surroundings before Arthur grabbed him by the arm and dragged him underneath the chair, hissing a _shhh_ at him all the while. It was so tall that they didn't have to duck, and luckily there was a sort of skirt around it, daintily embroidered, so that it really was a good hiding place.

"FEE FI FO FUM. I SMELL THE BLOOD OF AN ENGLISHMAN. OR PERHAPS TWO."

Arthur turned to gape at Merlin, who could only shrug.

"YES. TWO," said the giant thoughtfully. He added, apparently as an afterthought, "BE THEY 'LIVE OR BE THEY DEAD, I'LL GRIND THEIR BONES TO MAKE MY BREAD."

"Oh my God," hissed Merlin, "we are so screwed."

"MAUDE," said the giant, "WE'LL BE HAVING ENGLISHMAN-BONE BREAD FOR DINNER TONIGHT."

"I DON'T LIKE ENGLISHMAN-BONE BREAD, HAROLD," said a deep, but nasally and distinctly female voice, somewhere in the distance. "AND HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S NOT THAT PRINCE YOU SENT THAT RANSOM NOTE TO?"

"OH, RIGHT," said the giant, presumably Harold. "IF YOU ARE THE PRINCE, COME TO MAKE NEGOTIATIONS FOR YOUR FRIENDS UNDER THE TERMS I SPECIFIED, I AM PREPARED TO DEAL WITH YOU. IF NOT, YOU'LL BE MY DINNER."

_Friends?_ mouthed Merlin, accentuating the _s_. He'd thought they just had Gwaine. Arthur shrugged.

Merlin realized his knees were shaking, and he leaned against the leg of the chair. Unfortunately, this caused it to shake- not much, but definitely visibly, and Arthur made an angry face and waved his hands around like he would be yelling at Merlin if the situation permitted.

"AHA," said Harold, "I HAVE FOUND YOU."

The chair lifted.

The giant was fifty feet tall, dressed in a tunic and knee-length striped shorts.

"I am the prince!" said Arthur, and if you didn't know him the way that Merlin did, you probably wouldn't have heard the way his voice shook. "And I do not make deals with giants! Nor do I yield to threats! Show me my friends!"

He drew his sword.

There was a great rumbling noise, and Arthur realized the giant was laughing. He reached down for them, from his fifty-foot height, and they darted around, evading his large hands by splitting up.

"MAUDE," he said, "SORRY, BUT YOU'LL BE MAKING THAT BREAD. JOHN IS QUITE FOND OF IT ALSO, AS ARE MARIA AND EDWARD."

"WELL THEY CAN MAKE IT THEN," said Maude.

Merlin used this brief distraction to motion to Arthur towards the long hallway before them through the doorway opposite the entrance, and then he muttered a spell to turn them invisible. It was an extremely complex one, covering up their smell as well, and it took all of Merlin's concentration. He doubled over in pain, leaning against the stone wall to support himself.

"Why didn't," said Arthur, when they were safely in the hallway, and the giant had ran past them, "you use this _before_?"

"It's a very delicate spell," said Merlin, through gritted teeth, "and I can't hold it for long."

"So there's levels of difficulty," said Arthur thoughtfully.

Merlin, who didn't want to get into a theoretical discussion of the relative easiness of various magical spells, fumbled for Arthur's arm, intending to drag him down the hallway. He grabbed something firm and round instead, and realized just what it was as Arthur said-

"That was my arse," Arthur informed him, before putting his arm in a place where Merlin could reach it. Merlin grabbed onto it, and ended up clutching rather tightly.

"Sorry," said Merlin.

"It's hurting you," said Arthur, feeling his way across Merlin's shoulder and to his cheek. He didn't really sound sympathetic, just... curious, but there was a tenderness to the way that his hand brushed against Merlin's cheek. It was odd, the sensation of touch without something visibly causing it. Merlin's breath caught. "You don't have to keep it up. We already know he's gone down another hall."

Merlin let it go, and collapsed against the wall. They stayed there for a moment.

"So where do you think Gwaine is?" asked Arthur, glancing around. "We'll get fair warning from the giants, I expect, so it's safe to talk."

"Er, I think Gwaine is over there," said Merlin, pointing down a hallway that led to a iron-barred door. There was a slot in the bottom, presumably to shove food through, and there was an arm sticking out of it waving around.

"That does look like his arm," agreed Arthur. When they got closer, they found that it was indeed Gwaine, who retracted his arm and peered through the slot at them.

"Yep," he called back to someone. "It's Arthur and Merlin. Here to rescue us, I suppose?"

"Who's us?" asked Arthur.

"Well, er," said Gwaine, "it's Lancelot. And Gwen."

Something indefinable crossed Arthur's features, old pain, Merlin recognized. But that was just it. It was old pain. It didn't look like- Merlin sort of had the feeling that Arthur was almost just remembering the pain, and not actually feeling it anymore.

"Yes," said Arthur, "I'm here to rescue you."

Gwen's pretty face appeared in the slot.

"Thank you," she said, with all her old shyness. "Arthur- It really is nice to see you."

"You look well," said Arthur. "How's- how's Lancelot?"

"Oh, excellent," she said. She was positively glowing with happiness, Merlin could tell, and- oh. Oh.

He suspected that she didn't know it yet, but something was telling him that there was more to Gwen than met the eye at the moment.

"Well," said Arthur, "this may come as a shock to you all, but Merlin can do magic. Merlin. Magic those locks."

"Magic's not a verb," said Merlin, feeling that this petty distinction was probably necessary, but he waved his hands and unlocked them. They opened the door as little as possible to avoid any creaking from hinges that looked like they hadn't been oiled in years, and Gwen, Lancelot, and Gwaine squeezed out. Gwaine and Gwen stared at Merlin with a combination of fear and awe.

"It's okay," he said. "I don't have any plans to hurt you or Camelot. I'm the same as you've always known. I'm me."

He gave them his biggest grin, and- luckily Arthur was too busy looking around to notice that Lancelot didn't look surprised.

"Okay," said Arthur, "now we have to sneak back out of the castle- "

"I HAVE FOUND THEM," said Maude's distinctive, nasally voice. "HAROLD, JOHN, ELAINE, COME HELP."

Thundering in the distance. They turned around to see Maude bearing down on them, in her poofy blouse and long, bright green skirt.

"Split up!" said Arthur. "I'll stay here and fight."

Gwaine and Gwen and Lancelot took off in different directions. Well, more accurately, Gwen and Lancelot went left, and Gwaine went right.

"Er," said Arthur, drawing his sword and avoiding Maude's attempts to stomp on him, and nicking her foot a few times in the process, "Merlin, this is the part where I said _run_- "

"Not leaving you," said Merlin simply. "Don't you know that by now?" And with a wave of his hand, Maude toppled over. Arthur glanced back at him, a grin on his face.

Maude lay unmoving, although the other giants were coming. Merlin could still hear them.

"Er," he said, "should we..." Arthur stepped towards him, the grin having turned positively _wicked_. "Should we start... going now... oh_mmf_."

Arthur kissed him, and it was all lips and tongue and teeth and did you even _do_ that on a first kiss but then maybe this wasn't one, not that the other one counted because Arthur wasn't awake for the-

"Stop bloody thinking," said Arthur, breaking it off briefly, and it was only then that Merlin realized he had really, really enjoyed it. "It's maddening."

"All right," said Merlin, smiling back at him. Arthur wrapped his arms around him and pulled them closer together ("because you're probably a total girl about these kinds of things"). The other giants bore down on them, coming into sight at the end of the hall, and it was probably really lucky that Merlin had opened his eyes for that.

Another wave of his hand, although it took a great deal more concentration because there were a grand total of six of them, and Maude was beginning to stir, too. Merlin tried to remember a sleeping spell, although he'd never really put effort into memorizing any.

So he made one up, and muttered it under his breath. It wouldn't last long, he was too inexperienced for that, but they'd be able to find Gwen and Lancelot and Gwaine rather quickly.

"Why didn't you do that before?" asked Arthur.

"Er," said Merlin, "because that spell didn't exist before I thought it up just now."

"You can do that?" Arthur asked, eyes wide.

Merlin shrugged. "I just did. It won't last long."

There was a pause. The giants snored.

"I realized," said Arthur. "I had the same dream a few weeks ago as I did when I was in that enchanted sleep, although this time I _knew_. I thought I might have- have sort of remembered that- I knew I wanted it more than anything else. So when you said that- that you weren't going to leave me..."

Merlin swallowed.

"It was me," said Merlin. "I woke you up. I didn't use an herbal remedy."

Arthur nodded. "I looked up the enchantment because you lie about as well as you clean, and I wasn't sure about what I remembered."

"Excuse me," said Merlin, "when did you find about about the sorcery again? What's that? Five years?"

Arthur scowled at him.

* * *

><p>They ran back to the entrance hall. Gwaine was there, looking sort of lost. He also had a goose tucked under one arm.<p>

"Er," said Arthur, "why do you have that goose?"

"Because it lays golden eggs," said Gwaine, in the most manner-of-fact tone that Merlin had ever heard anyone say anything. "There were like, ten in this little stable thing down the hall. So I decided they wouldn't miss this one."

"Good work," said Arthur, and he looked like he didn't really know what else to say. There was a pause, which meant that they heard all the shouting in the hallway.

"WE WILL NO LONGER PLAY NICE," said a new giant voice. "BE WARNED. I HAVE POISON DARTS AND I WILL NOT HESITATE TO AIM THEM AT YOU IF YOU CONTINUE TO FLEE. AND I HAVE TERRIFICALLY GOOD AIM."

They took off. There was a whooshing noise next to Merlin's ear, and something struck Arthur in the back of the neck.

Merlin cursed under his breath.

"Gwaine," he said, "Arthur's been hit!"

Gwaine doubled back, and Merlin ran to catch Arthur, who was stumbling. They dragged him to the doorway, staring at the clouds below them, and beyond that, the ground. Lancelot clutched at Gwen, and Gwaine and Merlin, with their arms around Arthur, supporting him- well, at this point more like dragging him really, glanced at each other. With Gwaine's other arm, he held the goose that lay golden eggs.

It honked.

"I hate geese," said Gwaine, as it nipped at the parts of him it could reach.

"Gold's worth it," said Lancelot.

"So," said Merlin, speaking very quickly, as the giants' thundering footsteps grew louder and louder, "by now we all know I _candomagicjust_ _JUMP_!"

Lancelot pulled Gwen up, bridal style, whispered something in her ear, and jumped.

"Somebody trusts you," mumbled Gwaine, looking a little green, and clutching the goose a little more tightly than was probably good for it.

Merlin yanked on Arthur and they tumbled out the front door of the castle, hurtling towards the earth at an awfully fast speed. Merlin spoke the spell as rapidly as he could, and hoped it was fast enough for Gwen and Lancelot. Arthur's hair got in Merlin's mouth, and he wondered about the thought that by now this didn't even seem like the biggest risk.

No, they'd crossed that line when Merlin had prevented Arthur from falling the first time. God, and he'd just pushed him out of a castle in the sky. Life was ridiculous that way, he decided.

They barely disturbed the ground as they landed. Gwen was pale and shaking, and Lancelot was still carrying her. He kissed her on the forehead, and she managed a small smile.

"Right," said Merlin, "you two, get on Arthur's horse. Gwaine..." He transformed a blade of grass into a horse, and it managed to become a magnificent white stallion. Merlin was quite pleased, he'd never done that spell before. The giants were about halfway down the beanstalk.

And off they went, towards Camelot.

* * *

><p>"You moron," mumbled Arthur.<p>

Well, at least he was awake.

"Right," said Merlin, "I just saved your sorry arse. Again."

Arthur mumbled something incoherent and Merlin realized he really wasn't awake.

"Stupid me," Merlin said. "Muscle memory, like swinging a flail or parrying a broadsword attack. You see Merlin, you call me a moron."

Please, please, please, thought Merlin, don't let it be magic poison. He managed an incantation that would take care of most types, unless they were magic or particularly potent. It was a longshot, but it wouldn't hurt, and it was all they had for now.

Whatever God or Goddess was out there, listened, because the incantation began to take effect.

"I love you, Merlin," said Arthur.

Merlin felt his cheeks heating up.

"You've been poisoned," he said. "You're not in your right mind."

"But I do mean it," said Arthur, and Merlin could _hear_ the smirk in his tone of voice.

Merlin glanced back, for something else to think about.

Lancelot and Gwen, on their horse, check. Gwaine, check. Goose, check. Everything was fine. The giants seemed to have managed to remain very far back.

Which meant he had to pay attention to Arthur again.

"You're _strong_," said Arthur, sounding dazed. Merlin had expected a little bit of confusion. But not this much.

"Er, that's probably the spell I used to make you lightweight so I could carry you out of there, you prat. So you see, I'm not strong. You just weigh the same as a small child."

"I don't mean that," said Arthur, beginning to sound less and less confused. "I mean the way you took out a half dozen giants with a wave of your hand."

"Child's play," said Merlin.

"Is it _really,_" asked Arthur, sounding intrigued. And then he seemed to completely wake up. "My God, how do you expect me to ride back? Not over your shoulder, I should think."

"Hadn't thought that far ahead," said Merlin breezily.

"Maybe you're not that clever," said Arthur, with some viciousness.

"I think I liked it better when you were declaring your love for me."

That shut Arthur up, but only for a minute.

"So I'm about the weight of a child, then?" asked Arthur. "That's... going to be tricky. Get out of the _way_, Merlin."

Merlin scooted back on the horse and sort of put Arthur down, trusting to chance and holding the reigns in place with magic so the horse wouldn't panic. Arthur swung up and sat down on the horse facing forwards, managing to not hurt her even though he sat down rather hard.

"That went well," said Arthur.

"Are you talking about saving Gwaine, or about the horse?"

"...Both, really. And I- I meant what I said. You don't have to say anything about it."

"I know you meant it," said Merlin quietly. "I just don't know if you realize what it is you're saying. What happened in the castle, Arthur?"

There was a horrible, awful, suspenseful pause, and Merlin had a blindingly painful feeling he was about to be kicked off the horse and left on the side of the road.

"Something I don't regret," Arthur said, slowly and carefully, so Merlin knew he meant it. "Something I want to happen again."

"Good," said Merlin. "Because I feel the same way."

This time, the silence was comfortable, and Merlin realized he was grinning like a loon. Arthur cleared his throat.

"God, Merlin, don't be such a moron. You can... hold onto me, you know. If you want. We're going sort of fast. It- it might be difficult, for you to keep your balance, without something to hold onto. You haven't spent your whole life on horses, the way I have, so I'll understand if you're a bit- "

"Oh, shut up."

Merlin cautiously put his arms around Arthur's waist. Arthur didn't stiffen, or pull away.

"You're going to fall off," said Arthur, disgustedly.

"Well, fine," said Merlin, "I'll just lean up against you and make it completely obvious in front of all your subjects that I want to put my hands all over you right now and kiss that sodding grin that I know is there off your face, would you prefer that, your Royal Highness?"

Arthur was completely silent.

"Er," said Merlin, "we can pretend I was kidding, if that's better- "

"Oh, God, _Merlin_," said Arthur. "I don't care if you were kidding, I'm going to hold you to that."

Merlin laughed, and on the way home pressed kisses to the back of Arthur's neck whenever he felt like looking down at the dizzying heights. He gave their horses' feet (metaphorical) wings so that they rode more swiftly and were stronger and did not tire, getting braver with his spell-creating skills. And Gwen stopped looking quite so afraid, and Gwaine's goose laid a few eggs that he insisted they go back for.

And then they got home.

* * *

><p>It might be an exaggeration to say that they lived happily ever after. In fact, because Arthur was still a bit of a prat and Merlin was still not very good at general servitude, you could say that they made rather a point of quarreling with each other ever after.<p>

But oh, what a king Arthur made. And always at his side was his ever-faithful sorcerer. They ruled over Camelot together with firm and fair hands, always clasped together.

So perhaps it's not such an exaggeration after all.


End file.
